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Smriti Mandhanas 79 and a late assault from Richa Ghosh helped Harmanpreet Kaur-led India post a daunting 216/3 against Sri Lanka in the womens cricket gold medal match at the Asian Games 2026 on Tuesday.
Batting first, India made a brisk start as opener Smriti Mandhana struck two boundaries in the opening over bowled by Sugandika Kumari. Mandhana maintained the aggressive approach in the third over, hitting two successive sixes off Kumari as India reached 25/0.In the following over, Shafali Verma and Mandhana added 15 runs off Mithali Ayodhyas over to take Indias score to 40/0. During the fifth over, bowled by Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu, Mandhana and Verma continued their attacking display, smashing 19 runs, including three sixes, as India raced to 59/0.At the end of the powerplay, the Women in Blue had strengthened their position, reaching 67/0. On the second ball of the 10th over, Mandhana brought up her 37th T20I half-century. She also became the first woman cricketer to reach 11,000 runs in international cricket. However, later in the same over, Chamudi Praboda dismissed Shafali, who scored a brisk 48 off 29 balls, including three fours and three sixes. Praboda also broke Indias crucial 99-run opening partnership. After the end of the 13th over, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Mandhana took India to 123/1. However, on the fourth ball of the 15th over, Kavisha Dilhari broke the 42-run partnership for the second wicket by dismissing Harmanpreet Kaur for 19 off 17 balls, including three fours, as India reached 142/2. The runs continued to flow as Richa Ghosh and Smriti Mandhana combined to score 15 runs off Chamudi Prabodas 16th over, taking India to 157/2. Sri Lanka got the much-needed wicket of Smriti Mandhana when Sugandika Kumari dismissed the Indian opener for a 45-ball 79, including five fours and seven sixes, on the fifth ball of the 17th over, with India at 163/3. However, Richa Ghosh kept the momentum going in the following over, smashing 14 runs off Kawya Kavindi as India raced to 182/3 despite losing Mandhana in the previous over. During the 20th over, wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh took the attack to Mithali Ayodhya, smashing 17 runs as India posted a daunting 216/3, their highest-ever total in womens cricket at the Asian Games. Richa remained unbeaten on 49 off 22 balls, including six fours and three sixes. For Sri Lanka, Chamudi Praboda, Kavisha Dilhari and Sugandika Kumari claimed one wicket each. (ANI)
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